We are Terraforma Designs
Marcelles and Michelle Murdock are multi-faceted artisans living, dreaming & creating in the Mojave desert of California.
Their separate worlds intertwined back in 2012, when they were introduced by mutual friends at their beloved hometown cafe after spending much of their lives as passing ships in the night.
Soon into this connection, they realized they had very similar dreams for the future and this initiated a journey that encouraged them to grow together in love, rich experiences, and the development of a multitude of artisanal abilities.
In 2021, they conjured up all of their passion and artisanal skills and set out to shift their lives to honor their core values—to make beautiful heirloom creations, engage deeply with the artistic community and answer the call of their adventure seeking hearts.
Terraforma Designs was then brought to life—a company dedicated to creating unique and sustainable home furnishings that are meant to honor the elements and last lifetimes.
Marcelles Murdock
He is the heartbeat of our humble yet mighty workshop at Terraforma Designs. Marcelles was born and raised in the Mojave desert and has always found its vast landscape to be a source of creative inspiration. He ventured away for some time to pursue a degree and career in photography, but eventually returned with a desire to center life around building and creating.
Each time he unlocked a new skill, he found it would often lead to learning another. As a result, the last 10 + years have been filled with seeking out the right resources and tools to master his craft. His artisanal specialties include fine woodworking, metal working, masonry, design, upholstery + fabrication, product photography, and everything in between. His designs and creations are always built from a foundational desire to honor nature.
Marcelles is a true shop cat and taps into all layers of himself to bring big ideas from the ether→paper→real life. He deeply values time spent in nature, unique architecture, adventures, and any attempt to chase the light.
Michelle Murdock
She is the unstoppable force behind all things business as well as the finishing side of our furniture at Terraforma Designs. Michelle has spent a majority of her life in the Mojave desert and has worked alongside the community for many years in both the coffee and grocery industries. More recently, she spent a couple of deeply enriching years teaching middle school social studies.
Michelle’s love for interior and furniture design took flight in her youth and this led her down a path offering many opportunities to grow as an artisan and entrepreneur. Her specialities include furniture design, wood + metal finishing, videography, business + social media management, and anything else you can think of to keep the Terraforma train on course.
In her spare moments, Michelle can be seen playing her guitar, perfecting a new recipe, climbing big mountains and stumbling down rabbit holes. She has an insatiable desire to learn through each phase of life and longs to make creations that endure the ages.